


Lead story by Michael Odell in the Renault Times

by fawatson



Category: RENAULT Mary - Works
Genre: Fictional Newspaper Story, Gen, ITOWverse, Metafiction, Renault Times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-20
Updated: 2008-07-20
Packaged: 2018-05-22 08:48:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6072838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fawatson/pseuds/fawatson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A congratulatory article on the completion of all but one of the character glossaries for Mary Renault's books.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lead story by Michael Odell in the Renault Times

**Author's Note:**

> “Lead story by Michael Odell in the Renault Times” was originally posted to the [maryrenaultfics](http://maryrenaultfics.livejournal.com) LiveJournal community on 20 July 2008 by one of its moderators, my_cnnr, on behalf of the author.

In the race of the book glossaries,  
the modern novels swept under wire  
first by one and a half books.

The race wasn't even a close one,  
complained Darius, acknowledging he  
held a certain bitterness his book hadn't  
even made it to the race, let alone been  
one of the front runners.  “It's  
all Alexander's fault,” he said. “First  
the break up of the empire, now he can't  
even find someone to do the glossary for  
his book.”

Ralph said he “never doubted  
the loyalty of fans would ensure his book  
was in the winning group.”

Simonides pointed out that the ancient  
novels had had quite a handicap to overcome  
since many were longer and had lots more  
characters.  “Epics,” he said,  
“and quality ones at that, which of course  
meant they were slower to get going.”  He  
pointed out that “sprinters always  
finish first in a short race but the endurance  
needed by long-distance runners stands the  
test of time.”  He was last seen  
striding off towards the plains of Marathon,  
composing an ode to the winners.

Bunny was seen crumpling his betting  
stub in disgust and throwing it away (it seems  
he bet heavily on the wrong group).

Rev. Straike said it served him right.  He  
expressed the view that any right minded  
soul would, of course have anticipated the  
result. God was on the side of the righteous.  
When asked if he had won anything on the  
race he said he disapproved of betting as a  
point of principle.

Olive, however, admitted that she had  
won a ‘tidy little sum’ and she  
added (in confidence) that she thought a  
‘certain woman’ would soon be  
making ‘a nice little donation’ to  
the Bridstow Hospital in thanks for the care  
‘a certain relative’ received there.

Rev Straike, overhearing this, remarked in  
disgust, that betting was only what he would  
expect from someone like Madge.

Reg offered to stand a drink for the entire  
community on his winnings.  Leo said  
she was throwing a party on the houseboat in  
celebration and, since he was such a fan of Tex  
O'Hara, Reg was welcome to join them.

When last seen, Alexander had called a con-  
ference with his generals to discuss the dire  
situation where his book was concerned.  In  
a press release issued as soon as the race  
result was announced he said:

“I congratulate the modern novels  
for their success; they have many great  
characters and clearly were the fastest on  
this occasion.  Nonetheless, I have no doubt  
of the loyalty of our friends and that, in due  
course, the glossary for all Ancient Greece  
novels will be completed, and will prove  
both a thorough and quality piece of  
work.  I would ask your readers to remember  
that the real test will come over time in  
how many people access each of the glossaries,  
not in how swiftly they were written.”

A certain source close to the Great King  
(who cannot be named) admitted Alexander  
was, however, despondent that the readers  
had not loved him enough even to start the  
novel about his greatest achievements.

**Author's Note:**

> From April to July 2008, the members of Maryrenaultfics undertook [a project to create character glossaries](http://maryrenaultfics.livejournal.com/tag/character_glossary) for all of Renault's novels. The only book for which one was never completed was _The Persian Boy_.


End file.
